


Of Pine Cones, Pine Trees, and Sweet Dreams

by Ibelieveinahappilyeverafter



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: BillDip, F/F, Kidfic, M/M, cipherpines, mabifica, magic!Dipper
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-01
Updated: 2017-10-20
Packaged: 2018-03-04 16:57:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,509
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3074858
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ibelieveinahappilyeverafter/pseuds/Ibelieveinahappilyeverafter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dipper and Mabel Pines are twenty-four when they once more return to Gravity Falls for the summer, this time followed by Dipper's adopted ten-year-old son, Toby. After finding mysterious journals when packing, Toby is curious as to what lies in the Gravity Falls woods and what history his dad has with a demon by the name of Bill Cipher. He's determined to find out just what this town is hiding from him. </p><p>What no one thought to be prepared for, however, is the threat that lurks at their door and is ready to burn the home of supernatural creatures and humans alike. There is a reason that Dipper Pines will never trust Bill Cipher, but this time he might have to work with him to save their home.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

Bonjour, mes chers! First of all, before you begin to think something has failed spectacularly, yes, all of the chapters have been taken down. I gave warning a few days ago that this would be happening because this story is being re-written! Yes, yes, I know. "Oh, no," you scream, "She's doing another rewrite!" I would beg for your apology, but this version is going to end up being better anyway.

As you know, I have a [Pateon](https://www.patreon.com/mjanderson) and the outcome of the poll I posted was that this story is the first to be re-written! Consider pledging five dollars a month and you can vote on polls on what stories should be updated that week, which stories should be re-written, and get links to the old versions!

Yes, that's right, I have the entirety of the old version of this story saved! If you pledge as little as a dollar a month to me then you can get access to the link and read the old story anytime you want - although I do ask that you don't re-post it or share it with others.

With all of that out of the way, I sincerely hope you enjoy this story! For updates and new things make sure you visit my [tumblr at ibelieveinahappilyeverafter](ibelieveinahappilyeverafter.tumblr.com). I also have a tag for Toby on there in case you forget what he looks like!

Enjoy and happy days!

* * *

**Chapter One**

::

_How appropriate._

_Of course it would only be raining like this after everything had gone so wrong. How had it all fallen apart so quickly?_

_That was the only clear thing on Dipper's mind as he stumbled through the woods of Gravity Falls, soaking wet and breath coming out as steam in the muggy afternoon heat. Clouds had been threatening to break for days now before the storm had finally hit and the rising humidity had him feeling as if he was trying to breathe underwater as he ran._

_It was only the determination that he was working on limited time that had the fourteen-year-old running far past his limits, lungs burning and legs shaking the further and further he got. Tripping over a rotting log covered and hidden by the undergrowth, Dipper bit back a yell as he hit the ground in all the wrong ways._

_Panting and sucking in the heated air, Dipper rolled over and hesitantly pushed himself up, careful of anything that could be sprained or broken. His attention lapsed when he felt a wave of cold utterly drench him. For a split second, it was as if he had been dunked into a lake in the middle of winter._

_Slowly, so slowly, Dipper dragged his gaze upwards. This time he knew what caused the shudder that wracked his frame. He should be afraid, he realized. He should be_ _**terrified** _ _. What lay in front of him should be making him sob and beg for mercy and wish to do anything to please the almighty creature that stood above him - always above him there would always be such a great difference and-_

_**No.**_   _No. Not anymore. Dipper was no longer the lost child who hid behind journals and never thought for himself. Not anymore. Pushing himself to his feet, Dipper sucked in a harsh breath and met the gaze of the stone statue that lay buried beneath moss and grass. It was as if the forest itself was trying to hide his presence and keep others from making the mistake Dipper was about to._

" _Bill Cipher." It felt as if this part of the woods lay forgotten and buried in a place where time shouldn't exist. It was a miracle that Dipper had found it himself, but now… He didn't have any other choice, now. Hands shaking, Dipper clenched them into fists before taking a step forward. Just one more time. Just… "Hey, Bill." One last time._

_As he moved forwards, the very air trembled and shook- Of course it did, though. How could it not? Even reality itself was forced to bend in this spot. The world wasn't meant to contain magic this powerful, after all. Another step forward towards the answer._

_Another step towards damnation._

" _Hey, Bill."_

_Strong. Stay strong. This was for his family. This was for the shack and his Grunkles and Mabel and-_

" _I have something I think you're going to like."_

_There was no going back, now. There couldn't be._

" _Something that might make up for trapping you here."_

_Dipper would do anything for his family._

" _I want to make a deal."_

_Anything._

" _How does my soul sound as the price?"_

" _ **Long time no see, Pine Tree."**_

Body jerking as he woke up, Dipper pushed himself to sit up quickly, looking around with wide eyes and slowly calming down at seeing he was in his air-conditioned room in Portland. There was no massive forest outside his window with mysterious creatures and secrets and there was no stone statue with a gleaming eye- Wait.

Noticing the weight in his lap, Dipper looked down to see a small ten-year-old that had been knocked on his back at Dipper's movement, the boy's eyes as wide and startled as his own. "Heh, good morning, Daddy."

"Good morning, Toby." Trying not to laugh, Dipper let himself smile instead. It was hard to feel afraid with an embarrassed child in his lap. "Is there a reason you're in my lap?"

"Aunt Mabel said it was time to get up." Bouncing back, as was his nature, Toby was scrambling to properly sit in Dipper's lap, leaning against his chest with a happy smile. "She said if I woke you up before ten then I'd get extra waffles."

"Really now? I guess that's worth waking me up for." Ugh, before ten. Mabel was utterly barbaric. "I see you're already dressed. Did you bully Mabel into fixing your jacket again?"

"It's my favorite!" Toby clutched the golden jacket closer to him, pouting dramatically. It was ridiculous how the thing was still sizes too big on him even a year after Dipper had gotten it for him. "I also got Aunt Mabel to give me more shirts."

"Nicely done." Indeed, Toby was wearing an obviously new shirt that was the same soft shade of blue he preferred, this one having dozens of buttons and a collar that reminded him of a turtleneck that was ridiculous. Then again, Dipper was often told he didn't understand 'fashion'. "Why don't you go get those waffles of yours and I'll meet you downstairs after I get dressed myself. We'll make sure you packed everything you need."

Grinning brightly, Toby hugged Dipper tightly before near falling off the bed as he scrambled for the stairs. Laughing at hearing a small thump immediately followed by a shout of reassurance, Dipper finally got up himself. He had never seen himself as the type to have a kid or be a parent but God if Toby wasn't the best thing in his life right now.

"Darn it! I owe him extra waffles!" Rolling his eyes at Mabel's dramatic huff, Dipper gathered a few clothes up before Mabel could pick his outfit - again. "You had better not be wearing more plaid! Wendy's bad enough!"

"Hey, you know how big of an influence she was on me." Keeping the bathroom door cracked so he could still hear, Dipper turned the shower on, making it as cold as he dared. That dream… It felt real enough that he could almost still feel the hot air swirling in his lungs and the rainwater that clung to his skin and clothes. "I already packed so it's no use trying to sneak more clothing in."

"Oh, no, you've seen through my nefarious scheme." There was a dull thud of something hitting the floor that made Dipper suspect she was actually rooting around in his luggage anyways. "You know, Toby managed to wake you up  _suspiciously_ fast considering how weak he is to you. Are you sure there's nothing else that made you wake up, bro bro?"

"Twin telepathy is cheating." Leaning against the sink counter, Dipper sighed and rubbed at his eyes. "It was just a nightmare, Mabel."

"Nothing is ever just a nightmare with us, Dipper." There was a light tap-tap-tap to the door, Mabel's voice closer and quieter. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really." The last thing Dipper ever wanted to do was talk about  _him_. "It wasn't a nightmare so much as a memory, I guess." One he wished he could forget even now.

"It was about him again, wasn't it?" The lack of response must have been answer enough for her. "Right. Make sure you shower quick! It might not be a long drive up anymore but it's still best to get out on the road early! It's summer, after all. The roads are going to be packed!"

"If I were you, I'd be more worried about the kid who's probably eating every waffle in sight." Dipper had absolutely no doubt that Toby was drowning them all in syrup, too. Possibly some sprinkles, if Mabel had left them out. "You need to stop spoiling him."

"I'll stop as soon as you do." ...Low blow. "You know, when I said you should adopt so you wouldn't be lonely, I was thinking maybe something like a cat, or a dog, or a nice pig!"

"And make Waddles jealous?" At the annoyed huff, Dipper couldn't stop his laugh. "C'mon, you can't tell me that you don't love Toby just as much as I do."

"Yeah, well… He is pretty great. He must get it all from me instead of his boring dad." There was another, single tap to the door, Dipper giving a small smile and moving to tap the door twice. "You better be dressed and packed by the time I come back!"

"I already was packed." There was a suspicious silence, Dipper rolling his eyes. He wasn't even surprised. "Go check on Toby before he eats too much, please."

"Yes! Fun Aunt to the rescue!"

"You're the only aunt!"

Shaking his head, Dipper started shedding his clothes before catching sight of the fogged up mirror. It wasn't too bad, since he had the water coming out cold, but it was still enough to glaze it over. Moving forward, Dipper absently drew his finger across the glass as he thought back to his nightmare.

It was pathetic.  _He_ was pathetic. Here he was twenty-four and he was still having nightmares of what had happened ten years ago. He had been through so much and yet this one thing was the one he could never get over. Absolutely pathetic.

Staring back at the roughly drawn eye in front of him, Dipper frowned and drew a large X through the drawing before taking a step back. God, of all the times for this nightmare to come back… Well, there was nothing else for it, was there? They were all packed, the arrangements had been made, and everyone was already there.

It was time to go back to Gravity Falls.


	2. Chapter 2

Bonjour, mes chers! My deepest apologies for leaving you waiting so long, but I got a bit more caught up in my day job than I had expected! Hopefully this new chapter will soothe any ruffled or upset feathers.

[For those of you who don't know, by the way, I have a Patr(e)on! If you think I'd be worth spending a few dollars on every month then consider checking it out! There are polls asking YOUR opinion on what I should post next, what stories I should start, and what ones I should work on again! Check it out at the Patr(e)on website with the name mjanderson](https://www.patreon.com/mjanderson)

For updates and new things make sure you visit my tumblr at[ibelieveinahappilyeverafter](ibelieveinahappilyeverafter.tumblr.com).

Enjoy and happy days!

* * *

**Chapter Two**

**::**

"Oh, no. Oh, no, no, no, no. Daddy's going to kill me." Right. Okay. Don't panic. He could fix this. He could very much fix this. Toby Pines was a very smart ten-year-old, after all. Considering how things in his life had gone when he was growing up, he knew more than most his age - intellectually and emotionally. Hardly his fault he was smarter than most children. Really, if they just took the time to- No, okay, he was getting off track again. He needed to be focusing on the fact that Dipper was going to be  _upset and disappointed with him_.

Shuddering at the mere thought of disappointing Dipper, Toby shook his head viciously to clear it of the unhelpful thoughts before he moved to try and fix the mess he had now created. How had this even happened? Why did these kinds of things  _always_ happen to  _him_!

He had only run upstairs to the attic to grab a book he remembered leaving up there, honest. It wasn't his fault he had tripped on some ugly old curtains and knocked into a trunk hidden under piles and piles of blankets and locked half a dozen times over. It also wasn't his fault that he might have, may have,  _accidentally_ saw a key that looked to fit all the locks hidden under an ornate wooden music box that softly played behind him even now.

Really, this all may have been salvaged if Toby had simply locked the Mysterious Crate of No Doubt Awesome Things back up, but, no. Toby had been  _Toby_ and he had managed to trip - again - and knock over the  _open_  crate and cause a  _mess_. It was all he could do to scramble and shove journals and books out of the way of what looked to be broken vials of water and other liquids. Why would water even be locked up? It didn't make sense! And some of that liquid looked to be glowing!

"Toby?" Oh no. Dipper was looking for him which meant he would probably find him because Dipper had this magical talent when it came to finding- "Toby? Are you up in the attic?"  _Oh no._ Dropping the  _scrolls_ he was holding, Toby scrambled to the trapdoor and ladder that led to the lower floors, looking down at Dipper and trying to look as innocent as possible. It probably didn't work very well. "I'll take that as a yes. You ready?"

"Ready?" At the look he was given, Toby suddenly remembered the reason he had come up to the attic in the first place before he had made The Mess. "Oh! Oh, ready, right! Um, yeah- No. I mean, yes!" At the look he was given, Toby gave a weak smile. "I'm sort of ready. I forgot my favorite book up here so I was trying to find it before we left. Um, give me ten more minutes?"

"Toby, you know it's useless to try and hide the truth from me."  _Oh no_. How did Dipper always manage to see through him so easily? He probably knew all about The Mess and how priceless things were probably ruined and how he had destroyed the Mysterious Crate of No Doubt Awesome Things- "You got distracted looking at the old books up there again, didn't you?"

"Yeah- Yep, yes. Yeah." There was hope! "I'm sorry, Daddy, I know we have to leave really soon." Technically it wasn't a lie, either! Really, The Mess wasn't too bad and Toby could probably clean it before they left. Probably. "Eight more minutes?"

As Dipper stared up at him, Toby watched as he seemed to go through a series of expressions before sighing as dramatically as Mabel typically did. "I'm so weak. Alright, you get fifteen minutes, but after that I'm sending your Aunt up after you. Do you really want her to see all those old clothes hidden away up there?" Old clothes? Oh, no, no, no. They'd be stuck in the attic for  _hours_ helping her to sort through things if that happened. "Exactly. So, when will you be down?"

"Fourteen minutes and roughly thirty seconds?" Laughing as Dipper reached up to ruffle his hair - and somehow not get his hand stuck in the curls which even Toby had trouble with - Toby stood back up. "I promise I'll be down soon. My bags are all packed if you want to take them, though."

"Alright, just don't bring too much down when you finally come, alright? I'll leave your backpack in your room in case you want to bring any last minute things, but don't try to bring your entire room."

"Thank you, Daddy!" As soon as Dipper's footsteps faded away, Toby scrambled back over to The Mess and tried to shove as many items back inside as he could, taking just enough time to make sure nothing got crumbled or broken again. The  _shattered and completely broken_ glass couldn't be much helped and there was nothing he could really do about the oddly glowing purple liquid and some water- Ooh! He could throw one of the blankets over it! That would hide it well enough.

Really, it wasn't like anyone came up to the attic regularly besides Toby where he went off on his Historic Expeditions. It was hardly his fault there was so much fun stuff up here, though! And thinking of fun stuff, what was even was half of  _this stuff_? It felt weird, no doubt- No, no, no, not weird. Weird was the wrong word. Close, but not, but- Ah! Wired! All of the items Toby was picking up and moving felt  _wired_ and as if there was a current running through them, almost as if it was plugged in. That… That was weird, wasn't it?

Working his way through the scattered items, Toby slowed down as he got to the heavy, old books that had also tumbled out. Staring at one for a few heartbeats of silence, Toby slowly grinned. If he wasn't wrong, he still had around twelve minutes. It couldn't hurt to at least look at the titles of the books. What harm ever came from reading a book, after all?

It was strange, though. It was really, really strange. The books he was holding didn't any have a title on it. He had thrown one or two books back into the Mysterious Crate of No Doubt Awesome Things, but these ones… The books- No, they weren't quite books. Journals? They looked like journals. Old journals. Weathered- Worn. Worn and weathered and aged and yellow- Three of them were, at any rate.

Pulling one close, Toby tilted his head this way and that way as he tried to figure out just what it was. The journal was made of a deep, warm red leather that seemed friendly. Welcoming. Happy. The symbol pressed into the front was strange, though. It was a six-fingered hand that seemed to be gold. Why that? It seemed so strange and random. It didn't make sense. Six fingers? Why six fingers? He should know that. He knew this. Six fingers- Grandpa. Grandpa Ford has six fingers on each hand.

There were two other journals exactly the same as the first, each numbered one, two, and three, but there was a fourth one that was bound with a deep blue leather that reminded him of the hat his dad never went anywhere without. This journal had a figure of it's own pressed into it but it wasn't the hand. It was… Triangles? No, wrong. Tree- It was a tree. A simple tree- Hat. It was the same tree that he saw on his dad's hat- Pine Tree? Pines. Dipper's journal? What were the others if they weren't his journals, then?

More to that, why would the three journals be numbered like this? What was the purpose of them? Why were they all locked away in the Mysterious Crate of No Doubt Awesome Things like they were some huge secret? Chewing on his lip, Toby slowly picked up the red journal with a 3 on it, opening it as quickly as he could and bracing himself for something horrible and terrible and- Oh. It was just a journal entry. A journal entry about ghosts.

Flipping through the pages and feeling as if they would wipe themselves clean at any second, Toby's eyes widened as he saw page after page of fantastical things that he had only seen described in books in the library. Why would Dipper have journals that looked to be handwritten stories about these creatures and all this magic? Books that he wrote in? Different handwriting, different ink, different style. Blue ink, blue, Dipper, Dipper was blue, Dipper wrote in this journal but it was so old. Twelve. The book said twelve, and…

Scrambling for the other two journals with the six-fingered hands, Toby flipped through them, eyes getting wider and wider at how it was filled just as many amazing and incredible things that he had only dreamed of. They all had one thing in common, too.

Gravity Falls.

::

"Oh, Toby." Mabel sighed dramatically and loudly as she so often did, helping Toby to get his backpack into the backseat of the car. "You tried to pack your entire bookshelf, didn't you?"

"I wouldn't exactly say it was my  _entire_ bookshelf." It had been hard work, but Toby had managed to clean up The Mess and shove all four journals into his backpack so he could read them while they were in the very place the journals talked about. It was a bit of a miracle his bag even fit all four journals, considering how huge they were. "Auntie Mabel, can you tell me more about Gravity Falls? You and Daddy never talk about it."

"Toby." Mabel bent down, fixing him with a look that tried to be stern but only seemed awfully amused. "I invented being cute. It's not going to work." Widening his eyes and clasping his hands in front of him, Toby tilted his head as cutely as he physically could. "Aw-"

"Don't break now, Mabel." Darn. Toby easily let Dipper pick him up - really, it was so nice that he was still small enough that  _he could be picked up_. He felt safe when Dipper picked him up. He always had. "Are you being cruel to her, Toby?" Pausing for a long moment, Toby finally gave a single nod. "What a wonderful child."

"Aw, come on, bro-bro!" Mabel whined, finally getting the backpack into the backseat and standing back up with a stretch. "What kind of parent sides with their child over their own twin!"

"A good parent." Giving Dipper one last hug as he was set down, Toby couldn't stop his grin at the ruffle to his hair. "How many books?"

Well, he didn't want to lie, but if he said four then they would get suspicious, so, really, it was best to do what Grandpa Stan always said to do. "Yes." Agree with whoever was speaking.

"Good boy." Grandpa Stan got Toby's first hug when they arrived in Gravity Falls.

"You're a horrible parent," Mabel huffed, walking over to the small trailer they had hitched to the car and giving a whistle. "Alright, come on Waddles, let's get you settled in!"

"You know, I remember when she could still pick him up," Dipper said, trying not to laugh as him and Toby watched as Waddles followed after Mabel with some happy snorting. "Now look at him."

"That just means there's more of him to hug, though." Hugging Waddles was always fun, too. Waddles felt safe. Warm. Cozy. Safe. Definitely safe. "What is Gravity Falls like, though? I've never been before."

"That's because it's a boring tourist trap off the highway where nothing really interesting ever happens." Twitching smile, not quite looking him in the eyes, looking away, shifting restlessly. There were a million different things that all screamed that Dipper was lying, and that wasn't counting the journals he had packed away that told him the  _real_ truth. "We haven't been in, jeez, eight or nine years now? Never much reason to go back, I guess."

"C'mon, there has to be some reason why we're going back  _now_ if it's really so boring!" Why were they going back? It wasn't like Toby had never heard them mention Gravity Falls before, but every time they did, they closed up and didn't say another word about it. It was like they didn't want to. Couldn't? They couldn't say anything about it. Why? What had happened? Toby needed to find out just what this was all about.

"Your Grandpas just finished their latest 'expedition' and want to spend some family time together. They're already there along with all of our other old friends. I guess we just wanted to see everyone again after so long apart." No. There had to be more to it than that. There  _had_ to be. There… There had to be more. Right?

"Alright, Waddles is secure and we're ready to go! C'mon, Dip Dop let's get this show on the road!" Sighing as he was shuffled inside the car before the door was closed, Toby put his seatbelt on and pulled his backpack closer to him. It somehow felt even heavier than before.

If anything in that journal was true then Gravity Falls was a place filled with the supernatural and magical events unlike anywhere else on earth. Dipper himself seemed to have written in the journals! Why would he make Toby think there was nothing strange about the town? To keep him safe? Was he hiding bad memories? Yes. No. Yes… Yes to both. It was bad from how he acted but it also seemed like he just wanted to keep Toby safe.

Biting at his lip, Toby glanced to his bag and only opened it once he was sure Dipper and Mabel were completely caught up in their argument over who got to drive. By the time they were buckled in and looking back at him, Toby looked to be curled up with a binder, pen in his hand as he doodled over nothing but air.

Almost, almost, almost- There. Distracted. Dropping his pen, Toby flipped through the hidden journal he had grabbed, the red one that had Dipper's handwriting in it. He had better start at the beginning. It would be best to see just how all of this all unfolded. Right. Deep breath. Here we go. Research time.

_June 18,_

_It's hard to believe it's been six years since I began researching the strange and wondrous secrets of Gravity Falls, Oregon._


	3. Chapter 3

Bonjour, mes chers! This week's poll has drawn to a close and once again my patrons decided to bring the voting to a tie. If this is a dastardly plot to get both stories updated at the same time then... That's actually quite genius, if that's the case. Or perhaps it's just a bitter war between two of my patrons who wish to see their favored story completed. Either way, it's very interesting for me!

[As you know by now I have a Patr(e)on! If you think I'd be worth spending a few dollars on every month then consider checking it out! There are polls asking YOUR opinion on what I should post next, what stories I should start, and what ones I should work on again! Check it out at the Patr(e)on website with the name mjanderson If there are weeks when a story isn't updated then that's probably because it didn't get enough votes! So come on, join now and change the tide of what story should be read!](https://www.patreon.com/mjanderson)

Remember to check my tumblr for updates and new things as well at [ibelieveinahappilyeverafter ](http://archiveofourown.org/works/9064705/chapters/ibelieveinahappilyeverafter.tumblr.com)as well!

* * *

**Chapter Three**

**::**

" _Hey, Bill. I have something I think you're going to like. Something that might make up for trapping you here. I want to make a deal. How does my soul sound as the price?"_

" _We aren't friends, we aren't partners, and the only thing we are is enemies. Listen. You hate me, I hate you, and neither of us want anything to do with each other. You get my soul out of this, but you have to pay your own price. Get it?"_

" _Why are you always like this?! It's all death and destruction and hate with you! Why do you even exist when you're nothing but a monster that needs to be destroyed!"_

" _You… You saved me."_

" _You didn't save me just so you could have my soul. I'm not an idiot, Bill, and you're not a complete monster. You can't be, so why are you pretending to be one?"_

" _Hey, Bill… Do you think that if things had been different that we could have been friends?"_

" _Bill- Bill! I finally did it! I finally used magic! Hey, now we can go around scaring Mabel and I can impress Grunkle Ford and everyone's going to be so impressed- Why are you laughing at me?"_

" _Come on, Bill, don't tell me you've never watched a cartoon before. You're supposed to be all-knowing and you can't even predict what's going to happen next in Ducktective?"_

" _What's it going to be like? When I don't have my soul anymore, what am I going to be like? Will I forget everyone and everything like with the memory gun? Or will I just forget what they meant to me?"_

" _Hey, Bill. Do you remember when I asked what it would be like if the two of us were friends? I think I might have figured it out."_

" _If you have my soul after this then that means a part of me will always be near you. Kind of weird to think about, huh? I don't think I'm so upset anymore, though. I mean, maybe this way you won't be as lonely. You'll always have a friend with you."_

" _Stop it, stop it, just stop it! Stop acting and pretending like this! Why are you being so nice and going around and pretending like you're human? You're a demon- No, you're Bill Cipher. The All-Seeing Eye of Providence, isn't that right? You're above such petty things like feelings. So why do you keep pretending? Just another way to mess with those beneath you, isn't it?"_

" _My soul wasn't enough for you, was it? No, you had to go and steal everything you could. Well, congratulations. You win. This is all going to be over, the day's going to be saved, you get my soul, and you also get to go back in stone. So you know what? I still win. It doesn't matter what you've done to me because I win."_

" _Bill… I'm- God, Bill, I didn't mean- I'm- Bill!"_

"Right where I left you." Strictly speaking, there wasn't anything like sleep in the mindscape. There were things like meditative states, getting lost in your thoughts, and even just getting stuck on remembering one bad thing after another. Sleep, however? That was the one thing that couldn't be done, no matter how much power one used to possess. "Still rattling around in that nice little cell of yours, Cipher?"

" _Go to hell_." Words never made it through, either. If they had, then maybe things would be a bit better than they were. As it was, Bill was forced to do nothing but listen and watch ( _it was what he did best_ ). " _Can't you see I'm highly busy at the moment, Sixer? Really, I've just got a ton of things to do today. I'm afraid I just don't have the time for you._ "

"It must be lonely being out here all by yourself. Then again, you're probably used to being alone, aren't you?" Stanford Pines had never been what one could consider kind, but he was a bit of a bumbling, clueless idiot when Bill first happened across him. Years of rage, betrayal, and travelling dimensions, however, toughened even the kindest of souls. Even now, there was still so much bitterness and rage coating Stanford's soul. "Aw, what? No happy smiles at seeing your dear old friend?"

" _You know, Sixer, we're more alike than you think."_  Such a bitter soul ( _he had chosen well_ ). " _We both hate to lose and we both want nothing more than to kick our enemies once they fall at our feet. Isn't that right?_ " As always, no one heard a word of what he spoke. Bill could only silently float above the statute that kept him chained to this existence. Unlike before where he could at least roam around the mindscape as much as he pleased, he couldn't even wander away from his statute for too long without experiencing pain.

"Well, you might be glad to know that I'll be spending the summer here. Just like old times, huh?" Stanford took a step forward and Bill couldn't stop himself from floating back. Stanford had proven long ago he was a threat for a reason. "If you come near my home and my family again I will not hesitate to destroy whatever's left of you."

" _Still bitter that he once chose me over you?_ " God, he wished his words could be heard. He wanted nothing more than to see that sharp stab of betrayal shining in Stanford's eyes and to watch as he fell to his anger. " _How fickle children can be over their once heroes, hm?_ "

Stanford stared down at the stone statue that contained Bill's physical body before walking away without a word. Why would he say anything else? All his threats had already be made. Stanford had nothing else- "If you're still around… If you can even see through that prison we made you, then maybe take a look at him when you get the chance. See for yourself how far he's come."

" _ **Leave.**_ " Bill didn't stick around to see if his words got through ( _they never did_ ) before he was leaving the area as quickly as he could. Already he felt the pull on his very being to return to his body, but like hell he was going anywhere near that spot when Stanford was still there. There was only so much he could handle of that man these days. Any more and… Well, Bill still had power in other ways.

His physical body may have been trapped and his spirit tethered to a piece of land that would forever haunt his memories, but he was still here. They didn't destroy him like they wanted to ( _like they should have_ ). Instead he was there and not quite dead. Not living, not dead, but trapped. He was trapped somewhere even deeper than the mindscape, it felt like.

Oh, yes, he knew he was in the mindscape ( _how could he not when he had been tethered there so long_ ), but he knew he was trapped between layers of how it should be. It was like being pressed between the pages of a book. A story on either side of him but no way to see how to get there - or how to go back.

So what, though? He was trapped somewhere that was deeper and harder to find, but  _so what_. He could still see, couldn't he? ( _That's what he had always been best at._ ) He could see which meant he could watch. They couldn't take that away from him ( _not that he'd ever let them_ ).

For years, ever since blue flames had consumed his soul, he had wandered around the town and forest, watching and planning for his revenge ( _how much things had changed since then_ ). Even these days, he still watched just because he could. That was the one thing they could never do. They would never be able to take his sight.

No one would.

So he wandered and he watched. He watched the town members grow and learn and make so many mistakes ( _it was beautiful and revolting all at once)_. Years passed as he watched the tiny shack that no longer housed twins ( _it would now_ ) and the town that once more flourished as it lived alongside the supernatural. If only  _he_ could be here to see it… Maybe he would.

" _You know, you're going to die in twelve years."_ Bill chatted at an aged man that hobbled down the street towards a familiar dinner. A pack of gnomes were already outside and gnawing on some old pies, Bill rolling his eye. Greedy little cretins were fond of anyone who fed them. " _Should probably change your will up a little. Your daughter is trying to poison you to kill you faster but your other brat is pretty okay."_

Terrifying mortals with his vast stores of knowledge wasn't all that fun when they couldn't hear him. Sighing ( _not even air made it to this realm_ ), Bill wandered to the outskirts of town, looking for anything to catch his interest. He could already feel the pull of his physical body screaming out for the pain of separation to end- For the pain of it all to end. Bill ignored it. He was good at that.

Yawning, Bill closed his eye and let himself drift. It was only when he felt a sharp sting to his entire being that he jerked up, staring at the innocuous little church house that was in front of him. Seeing people drifting in and out, Bill scoffed. " _Your god is a lie and a sham and hates you all."_  Interestingly enough, there was a genuine shiver from one or two of them when he drifted close enough. Susceptible to the Sight, then? Hm… One could be understandable ( _this was Gravity Falls it attracted the weird and the wild_ ), but three or four?

"Your kind is not welcome here." Spinning around, Bill saw an aged man - the pastor? - stare straight into his eye. "Remove yourself from these holy grounds." Ah, that explained the sting. Not just a filler church, then.

" _Or what? You'll exorcise me?"_ Hm. The pastor could probably only seen a vague outline-

"If necessary." That had Bill going silent, the demon slowly laughing as he let himself drift closer.

" _You can see me."_ Interesting. This was  _interesting_! Not even Stanford possessed Sight enough to see him when on this forgotten realm. This man, however? Oh, this holy man saw it all.

"I can see that you are trespassing on God's sacred grounds. Be gone, demon!" Shocked back at the raw  _holy_ energy that hit him, Bill gritted his teeth at the pain that assaulted his senses. For a moment, there was nothing but pain and hatred that made him feel as if he was being torn apart at the seams.

" _You don't know who you're dealing with, child."_  Energy rippled and spiked around the man. He was aged, but he looked no different than any other human. Brown hair that greyed at the temples, a weathered face, and… Oh. The eyes were what held the difference. They were swirling with power and might and raw  _hate_.

"I believe that it is you who does not know who they're dealing with, Bill Cipher." ( _Danger._ ) "Next time I will not be merciful."

" _Funny, I thought you lot were all about that."_  It would figure that the first person who can hear and see him in years would be the religious nut. His luck. " _Have fun preaching about death and hellfire and all those fun things. I'm sure I'll see you down there!"_  Petty, but worth it.

Figuring Stanford had left the clearing by now, Bill allowed himself to follow the pull that led him towards his body. At least now he had someone new to annoy for however long that church would be there. Churches tended to not last long in a place like Gravity-

...Even the land welcomed him home. ( _Such familiar magic and it would be so easy to get lost and to shadow him and_ _ **beg**_ _-_ ) Hm. It seemed both sets of the Pines twins would be back for the summer.

It looked like he had something to look forward to after all.


	4. Chapter 4

Bonjour, mes chers! Aah, how to apologize for such a long absence... I'm afraid I've been busy with school, work, and even my other stories and projects I have in the woks! You have my deepest apologies for this chapter being so late - hopefully I can start trying to get weekly chapters out now that things are a bit more organized and together! Without further ado, enjoy! Quick side note, my girlfriend was playing 'Everything Stays' on her guitar over Skype during a scene I was reading over and I almost started crying. You'll see why.

[As you know by now I have a Patr(e)on! If you think I'd be worth spending a few dollars on every month then consider checking it out! There are polls asking YOUR opinion on what I should post next, special words that let you request a drabble from me, and polls on what NEW stories I should do! Check it out at the Patr(e)on website with the name mjanderson If there are weeks when a story isn't updated then that's probably because it didn't get enough votes! So come on, join now and change the tide of what story should be read!](https://www.patreon.com/mjanderson)

Remember to check my tumblr for updates and new things as well at [ibelieveinahappilyeverafter ](http://ibelieveinahappilyeverafter.tumblr.com/tagged/the%20substitute)as well!

* * *

**Chapter Four**

::

"Hey, Dipper…" Keeping his eyes on the empty highway, Dipper gave a quiet hum to let Mabel know he was listening. "You felt that too, right?"

"Yeah." Flicking his eyes to the rearview mirror to check on a sleeping Toby, Dipper sighed and looked back to the road. They had just crossed the border into Gravity Falls. "I felt it too."

"It's…" It was magic. It was the thrum of power in their veins and sparks across their skin that all formed to change the very reality around them. It was what Ford had called the Grand Unified Theory of Weirdness and what the creatures of Gravity Falls simply knew as life and what  _he_ had called The Gift and what Dipper himself had thought to be magic in its grandest form, but… All of it was the same, wasn't it? All of it was… "It's home."

Dipper's hands tightened on the steering wheel and he winced as he could feel his teeth grind together. He hated this. He hated that he was so helpless to the sheer joy he felt as they drove closer and closer to the place they had always known as home ever since those summer days when they were twelve. "Yeah." He couldn't lie to himself about this, let alone  _Mabel_. "It is."

It was a moment before he felt Mabel gently rub at his arm, Dipper sparing her a smile as he did his best to relax. Mabel must have seen right through him. Then again, she always had. "Easy, bro-bro. Just pretend everything is how it was when we first got here when we were twelve. Just a tourist trap, right?"

Yeah, yeah, maybe he could- Oh. Hm. "It's a bit harder to believe that when a pack of gnomes just ran across the road." He was really glad Toby was asleep right now. The last thing he needed was Toby realizing Gravity Falls had supernatural creatures in it- The last thing he needed was Toby realizing that the supernatural was  _real_. Dipper would never get any peace again and it would ruin the boy's future birthday present. Future. Far, far in the future. "Think we can keep Toby away from all this?"

"Dipper." Startled at his sister's serious tone of voice, Dipper looked over with worry. What he saw only made him worry more. "Toby is more your clone than your kid some days. Do you really think we can keep him from everything for long?"

"Maybe?" It was a weak response and they both knew it. "Hey, it took us a while to figure this all out-"

"No, it took us a while to figure out the  _truth_ of everything. We discovered supernatural creatures within the first few days." Hearing the long pause, Dipper almost dreaded whatever was about to come out of his sister's mouth- "Do you think I could have overthrown the Gravity Falls hierarchy by actually becoming gnome Queen?"

Biting his cheek to stifle a laugh, Dipper  _tried_ to focus on the road. It was hard when Mabel didn't want to let her sudden thoughts of anarchy go. "No, no, I'm serious, though! I mean, I could have had a pretty good thing going on, you know?"

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Waiting a moment so his words could have the maximum impact, Dipper felt a sly grin grow on his face as he looked over to his sister. "But then how would Pacifica have felt about that?" Ah, just what he wanted. Utter silence and a red-faced Mabel. "How long have you two been dancing around each other now? Years?"

"You- Shut up. Focus on driving- Don't grin at me look at the road!" Unable to help his laughter, Dipper did as told and already felt more at ease. For as much as he hated to admit it to himself, this really was home for the two of them. Maybe that was why he felt so at ease?

He hadn't noticed before, but there had been something  _tight_ wound up in his chest. Something that had made it hard to breath some days and made it seem as if there was darkness in his steps. It was something he had never known was there until it vanished as he crossed the border.

Heh. Ford had been right when he told Dipper they were some of the weirdest things to ever come into Gravity Falls. Maybe that was why they both felt so at home in a place that wasn't meant to be seen by humans. Wasn't that how everyone here was, though? The townsfolk of Gravity Falls all had their stories and all of them began and ended with the day they wound up in this peculiar piece of the world.

There was always more to this town than what met the eye. He had learned that very early on back when he was a headstrong twelve-year-old with a book, a dream, and the urge to prove everyone wrong.

He wondered if he was any different now.

::

"Grunkle Stan! Grunkle Ford! Your favorite people in the whole wide world are here!" Grinning widely at Mabel's enthusiastic shouting, Dipper tried not to laugh. He probably failed, but he at least tried.

"Honestly, she didn't even let me turn the car off first." He would have been a bit worried about the fact she had climbed out onto the  _car roof_ if Mabel didn't have the balance and grace of a dancer when she wanted.

"Can I climb on the car roof?" Looking back to a now awake Toby, Dipper pursed his lips in thought. "I'll be really,  _really_ careful."

"Wait until you're twelve to start doing dangerous things." Any older than that and Dipper would have been a bit of a hypocrite.

"Aunt Mabel just jumped off the car, though." Yes. Yes, Mabel had jumped off the car. He wasn't too worried, though. Stan was stronger than he looked even at his age now.

"She's fine. You might not be-"

"Dipper!" Unable to even get his seatbelt off, Dipper froze as his door was near ripped opened and he was jerked into a hug. It took a moment to realize it was just Ford pleased to see him. "And Toby! How's my little researcher in training?"

"I watched a snail for five hours and documented it's progress a few days ago!" Ah, memories. Toby was as enamoured with Ford as Dipper had been - and still was, depending on who you asked. Finally let go, Dipper took the moment to escape as Ford and Toby each did their best to strangle each other with hugs.

"Look who's finally back. Does this mean we have to switch hats again? Because I'm pretty sure that wild child here isn't going to like that." Laughing at the familiar arm slung around his shoulders, Dipper squirmed a little to pull Wendy into a proper hug. It had been too long since he had last seen her.

"Hello to you, too. Nice to see you, I'm doing fine, yeah, no, traffic was great-" Only laughing at the punch to his shoulder - it was so nice those didn't hurt as much anymore - Dipper let her go to instead scoop up what looked to be a three-year-old version of Wendy - overly large hat included. "And how's my favorite Corduroy?"

"Dip! Dip! Dip!" Rosy really was the cutest little thing and Dipper felt no shame in spoiling her as much as he did Toby. "Toby?"

"Right over there, Sunshine." Setting her down about the same time as Ford finally set Toby down, Dipper was entirely unsurprised that the girl managed to tackle his ten-year-old son straight to the ground. "She's way too much like you."

"Aw, you say that like it's a bad thing." Wendy… She hadn't changed a bit. Dipper loved it. "You have a pretty dopey smile on your face there, you know."

"I'm not allowed to be happy at seeing you all again?" He had fought so much against coming back, but… Maybe it was time to finally leave those things in the past where they belonged. For now, this was just about seeing his family again.

"Now, I never said that." Wendy smiled again, pulling Dipper into a softer hug. "It's really good to see you back here. Surprising, but good."

"Yeah… Yeah, I know what you mean." Reigning in his emotions before he could do something embarrassing, Dipper cleared his throat and pushed Wendy along. "You should go say hi to Mabel before she gets clingy. Do you want her to follow you home again?"

"Hey, thirteen-year-old Mabel was a  _blast_." Thirteen-year-old Mabel and him had been literal walking nightmares going through phase after phase. "You have to admit seeing her in black was amazing."

"It is possible I have one or two blackmail photos tucked away just in case I need them." Laughing as his hat and hair were fiercely ruffled, Dipper peeked up to see Wendy was looking as emotional as he felt. "It's good to be home."

"Damn right. Now, first off, where's Toby? I need to spoil my honorary nephew!" Wendy didn't wait for a reply before she was heading right over to scoop the kids up and carry them inside, Dipper laughing as both marveled over the show of strength. For as much as things had changed in the nine years they had been gone, Dipper was  _so glad_ that some things never would.

"Home, huh…" That… That was what Gravity Falls had always been to him. It had always been- No. Throwing the word out more than saying it, Dipper spun on his heel with his hand already brought up, " _Ostendo_." Feeling his power rise to the surface, Dipper quickly scanned the surrounding tree line, eyes narrowed and magic weaving between his fingers. There was nothing but the calm summer day that lay over them. Nothing was there.

Nothing… Nothing was the most dangerous enemy Dipper had ever faced in all of his adventures, those inside and outside of-

" _Gravity Falls, it is good to be back!_ "

"Gravity Falls, it is good to be back!" Startling, Dipper snapped his head around to see that Mabel had been the one to shout gleefully, the rest of his family not seeming to have noticed the sudden sense of  _wrong_ that had pressed down against reality itself. "Come on, Dip Dop, we have stuff to do!"

"Coming!" Glancing back to the treeline, Dipper mumbled another charm under his breath, breathing in deeply and exhaling peacefully at feeling the powerful charm that still laid over the Shack from their first summer. No one who meant them harm could hurt them here.

Right. Right. Just a normal summer in Gravity Falls, Oregon, right?

::

Dipper couldn't help but watch fondly as Toby ran all over the uppermost bedroom with his things, trying to find a place to cram everything he had packed. It was very nostalgic and very familiar - especially all the books. "-exploring in the woods and the town and there's so much to do, but I should probably take a day out just for reading. I don't want to get behind just because I'm out discovering the secrets of the universe!"

"Oh?" Chuckling as Toby dropped something onto Mabel's old bed and sneezed at the cloud of glitter that emerged, Dipper moved to take a seat on the bed that had once been his. He was pretty sure he recognized some of the ink stains. "And what secrets of the universe do you think you're going to be finding."

"Um…" Toby paused, holding one of the books he had been in the middle of moving. "Why Rosy's so cute?" This time giving a full laugh, Dipper snagged Toby as he passed and pulled him onto the bed.

"That  _is_ a great mystery to try and solve. Make sure you write everything down, though. Remember-"

"It's only science if I write it down." Ruffling the boy's wild mass of curls, Dipper made a note to dig out a brush so he could go through them later. He had no doubt there were a dozen or so matts and tangles hidden away. "You and Aunt Mabel spent your summers here, right? Was it fun?"

"It…" Memories from when he was twelve, thirteen, and even fourteen flashed into his head, Dipper shaking his head slowly. "I think our summers here were the best times of our lives- Well, until I got you."

"Daddy." Toby set a hand on his cheek, looking very serious. "Leave the being cute to me and Aunt Mabel."

"Mabel's been corrupting you." Pulling Toby into his lap for a hug, Dipper ruffled his hair again, smiling at the laughter that bubbled out of the boy. "So you're going to discover all the secrets of the universe while you're here, huh?"

"Yep! I might even write a book on everything I discover." Ooh, now didn't that bring back memories? "Tobias Pines' Guide to Gravity Falls!"

"I think I'd like to read that if you ever wrote it." Setting the boy down, Dipper stood up and groaned dramatically at the crack that came from his back. "And  _this_ is why me and Mabel are going to be sleeping downstairs. Beds like these are for kid who have flexible spines."

"You sound like Grandpa Stan." Ugh, he did, didn't he? Damn, he needed to be careful about that. "Hey, is this the highest room in the Shack?"

"Hm? Oh, uh, no. There's an attic above this room through a ladder around here… Let me check it out first before you go up there, though. It's been a while and there might be water damage. Last thing I need is you falling through the floor."

"Would it be falling through the floor or through the ceiling?" That was a great question. Dipper didn't know the answer to it, but it was a  _great_ question.

"Good question, think on the answer while I'm gone, okay?" Heading out into the hallway, Dipper scanned the ceiling before finding what he needed. Struggling with the ladder for a few moments, Dipper swore louder than he probably should have as it almost smacked into his face when it came down. "Toby? Did you hear that?"

"You saying shoot and darn?" Ah, he had raised such a good child. Content that he wouldn't be getting yelled at for horrible parenting anytime soon, Dipper scrambled more than climbed up the ladder, sneezing four or five times as soon as he touched down on the attic floor.

"Damn." He knew that he had been the only one to ever really frequent the attic when he needed a place to think, but he didn't think it'd be left neglected like  _this_. The entire room was coated in layers upon layers of dust with nothing but a few stray boxes to fill up most of the space. He would need to deep clean the place before he let Toby anywhere near here. Kid had asthma worse than he did! Really, that had been such a… Such a joy…

" _No, it will not kill you, poison you, maim you, hurt you, or do anything bad in anyway, shape, or form to you whatsoever. Unless you don't like chocolate, but I figure since you're a demon and not a complete monster it should be okay."_

So it was nine years of dust in the attic, then. Well… Eight years and ten months, really. Had they really been the last ones to be up here? What day had been the last, he wondered…

" _Aw, Pine Tree, you take all the fun out of things!" Gloved hands had brushed against his own as he accepted the cup and Dipper had so desperately wanted to know why they had been kept gloved. "Never gonna happen, Pine Tree."_

The windowsill he had spent so much time at when younger was loaded down with dusty blankets and pillows of all shapes and sizes, but that wasn't what had caught Dipper's attention. No, it was the two objects that sat on the ground next to the windowsill.

" _Come on! We're sort of allies now, aren't we? I mean, if I'm going to die after this is all over then shouldn't you be halfway decent and indulge in a bit of my curiosity?" Dipper had been laughing and giggling like the teenager he was, curled up under his mess of blankets as he was smiled back at, everything so warm and content._

Two forgotten mugs sat on the floor and were as dirty as everything else in the room. The difference, though, was that Dipper could see them as clearly as if they were brand new. He knew one of the cups would have a silly little pattern of triangles and another would have a generic star pattern with the Big Dipper traced out in red sharpie.

" _I could… It's much more fun to watch you squirm around like that, though." One of his blankets was tugged at and Dipper whined and buried his way down even deeper, part of the blanket falling over his eyes so he could only see black dress shoes that were carefully slipped off. "Alright, you brat, move over."_

Had it really been so long since that day? It was so easy to remember. Dipper could almost feel the cool summer drizzle that had come in through the open window. Hell, he could perfectly picture what the forest would have looked like in that moment. Soft, muted greens would have taken over the entire world with nothing to see or hear but that soft, peaceful rain.

" _Hey! I'm sitting here, you know- Bill!" Dipper didn't even get to fight back before his legs were lifted up and his blankets were tugged and pulled at. By the time he got himself back to rights, he looked up to see a bright smile and the other half of his blankets wrapped around the irritating figure that had been bothering him for what felt like a lifetime. "Jerk." Dipper hadn't needed to see his reflection to know that he was grinning like an idiot. Who would have thought that a terrifying dream demon could be so kind…_

Forcibly shutting down that trail of thought before it could get much further, Dipper climbed - fell - down the ladder before setting everything to rights. The only reason he paused was because suddenly hearing Toby's voice had startled the hell out of him. "I've decided that when talking about the ceiling and the floor together we should just mash the words together to create a new one. So far I've come up with flooring, ceilor, and plurble."

"Ah…" Had he been so caught up in his memories that he hadn't even realized Toby was right in  _front_ of him? That probably didn't say good things about his mental state. "One of those is already a word and the other two… They aren't."

"I know, they're  _new_ words I've created!" Toby grinned, Dipper unable to keep his own smile back as ruffled at the boy's head. "What's best?"

"Ceilor, definitely. Plurble sounds like a color." He was pretty sure it was one Mabel had invented already, actually. If not then she was probably already trying. "Why don't you got explore the rest of the Shack for now? Mabel probably still has some sweets hidden around here."

"Wouldn't they be nine years old, then?" Toby suddenly paused, grin lighting up his face. "Gotta go, Daddy, I have candy to find!"

"You know, for as much as he reminds me of you, he reminds me of your sister just as much." Well, at least Dipper hadn't screamed at hearing Ford suddenly standing behind him. "Oh, sorry, did I startle you?"

"I'm used to it." It was probably lucky that he was out of it enough that he didn't follow his first instinct to throw a punch, now that the thought about it. "What are you doing up here besides obviously meddling into my fragile mental state?"

"A grunkle needs a  _reason_  to meddle into his nephew's fragile mental state?" Refusing to laugh like he so wanted, Dipper crossed his arms and stared Ford down. Unfortunately, he probably wasn't very intimidating even after leaving puberty behind. "I had a feeling it might be a bit hard for you for the first few days. Seeing a place you knew so well and seeing bits of memory you left behind… It can wear on a soul."

"Yeah, well… At least I came here expecting to see a gift shop." Dipper sighed and threw himself against the wall, completely unsurprised as Ford leaned on the wall beside him. "It's just…"

"I know." That was one thing that could always be said about Dipper and Ford. They were far too much alike - whether that was good or bad depended on the situation. Right now, Dipper was willing to see it as a godsend. Mabel did her best, but sometimes it was nice to talk to someone who got it better. "We've both been through that hell."

The only two humans that had been tricked by Bill and come out of it with their sanity and lives. Dipper wasn't sure if that was better or worse. Standing there for a few more moments, Dipper finally pushed himself off the wall, dragging Ford along by his sweater. At the man's confused look, Dipper laughed. "I know you're just trying to avoid all the people down there. Unfortunately for you, I made a blood pact with Mabel. C'mon, let's go mingle."

"I feel I should discourage you two from making blood pacts," Ford said, sounding rather calm at learning such a thing, which, really. Dipper was pretty sure Ford had  _taught_ them how to do their blood pacts. "They are effective, though."

"Isn't that how you got Grunkle Stan to stop drinking so much?" Dipper was still impressed the old man had hid it from them when they were kids.

"Best decision of my life and it only cost a bit of blood and a few ancient magical artifacts." Holding back a snort, Dipper fixed Ford with a stern look.

"You just didn't want to keep wasting money buying him the good stuff."

"That secret dies with us." At the pat to his head, Dipper indulged in a quiet chuckle as they reached the kitchen, the amusement turning into full blown panic that shot through him and terror that wrapped around his neck at the sight in front of him. How could he have ever been so stupid, so  _blind_ \- "Stanley, stop trying to teach the ten-year-old how to use a gun. Give him a stun gun, first, and have him work his way up-"

"How about we don't give my kid any weapons!" Dipper scooped Toby into his arms at once, frowning as the boy shifted and wiggled so he was dangling in his grip like a wayward puppy more than anything else. "Toby, don't accept anything from them that needs a permit, okay?"

"Stun guns don't need a permit if they're below a certain voltage, though." This kid was too smart. "Aunt Mabel already gave me something that slips onto my fingers and she said it makes my punches hurt more. It's pink."

"Atta girl!" Stan cheered, Dipper giving him a sour look. "I mean, ah, how horrible. Hm. Hey, I raised you two pretty okay those summers-"

"He's ten." Just… Just give him until twelve. Dipper could handle it at twelve, but right now Toby was his sweet, tiny little ten-year-old. "Toby, no weapons."

"But- But I was gonna go exploring today!" Exploring around Gravity Falls. Risking a glance out the window, Dipper tightened his hold for a moment. "Is that a yes to the stun gun?"

"It's a maybe." Exploring around Gravity Falls… Watching Toby as he managed to get free, Dipper felt his heart leap to his throat at seeing the birthmark on Toby's right palm that was in the shape of an exploding star. This summer suddenly felt a lot more dangerous than it had when he had agreed to it.

" _Come on, Pine Tree, I thought only teenage girls were supposed to be so caught up on their appearance. You should be proud to have a mark like that! It's a sign of great magic, you know… What? You didn't know? Those born with stars on their skin are destined for this life. You've noticed it already, haven't you? How you attract the weird and the wild and the mystical that's out there… Why do you think Gravity Falls is so eager to collect you? The forest could always use a few more stars, after all."_


	5. Chapter 5

Bonjour, mes chers! I think quite a few of you are going to enjoy this next chapter here.

[As you know by now I have a Patr(e)on! If you think I'd be worth spending a few dollars on every month then consider checking it out! There are polls asking YOUR opinion on what I should post next, special words that let you request a drabble from me, and polls on what NEW stories I should do! Check it out at the Patr(e)on website with the name mjanderson!](https://www.patreon.com/mjanderson)

Remember to check my tumblr for updates and new things as well at [ibelieveinahappilyeverafter ](http://ibelieveinahappilyeverafter.tumblr.com/tagged/pine%20cone%20au)as well!

* * *

**Chapter Five**

::

"This town is hiding something." Staring out the kitchen window, Toby narrowed his eyes at the forest that surrounded the Mystery Shack. "Grandpa Stan, I can tell, I'm good at this stuff. This town is  _hiding something_." Looking back, Toby felt his lips fall into a pout at the fact Stan was laughing so hard he was choking on his drink. " _Grandpa Stan_."

"Sorry, kid, just- You're a hell of a lot like your dad, you know that?" Yes, yes he did. It was still always so nice to hear, though. Preening just a little, Toby moved back to pull himself up into a kitchen chair. "Just what do you think it is this town is hiding."

"I-" Wait. This was Stan. Stan had been the one to really teach him to lie. Toby couldn't lie or Stan would find out and then Stan would tell Dipper and then Toby would feel guilty. He couldn't tell the truth, either, or someone might try and take the journals away from him for his 'safety'. Honestly, he was ten! Ten was super mature! "I don't  _know_ and that's why I need to  _find out_. Daddy won't even let me out of the house, though!"

"Yeah, well, the kid worries over his family pretty easily," Stan laughed, offering Toby a can of soda. Staring at it for a moment, Toby glanced to the doorway before snatching it and chugging as much as he could before Stan could realize the mistake of giving him sugar and ruining his 'health' or something. "He's just trying to keep you safe, even if he's going about it in a stupid way."

"I'm plenty safe! It's not like there's a mass murderer hiding out in the woods!" Oh, that was interesting. Stan taught him tells. Toby knew all of his family's tells. Stan, he was a good liar, but he had his tells too. Stan's tells were that he busied himself with his hands for three seconds before the tension in his shoulders relaxed and he lied.

"Of course not, kid, but it's Dipper, you know? He doesn't want you hurt." Burying a lie among truths. Stan was the best, but he had also taught Toby everything. "Why are you so excited to get in those woods? I thought you hated the outdoors?"

"I don't  _hate_ the outdoors. I just like libraries more," Toby shrugged, finishing off the can of soda before pushing it back towards Stan to blame on him later. "Libraries were my thing and the outdoors was TJ's." As always, Toby couldn't stop his own tells, either. He could never get TJ's name out without it hurting. He probably never would. "You all keep acting like you're trying to hide something from me."

"Kid, we're adults." Stan gave him a  _look_ , grin on his face. "We're always hiding and lying about something." Well, he had a point there. That was rule number one of Stan's Rules Of Lying- No, two. One was lying was good for every situation. "I'm sure Dipper will loosen up after a week or two. Then again… Your dad has always had a stick up his-"

"Are you  _really_ sure you want to finish that, Stan?" Trying not to laugh as Stan choked on his drink- Who was he kidding? Toby cracked up. "Stop corrupting my child."

While Stan recovered and tried to start breathing again, Toby jumped off his chair and skidded to a stop in front of a smiling Dipper, "Daddy I  _have_ to go exploring!" Before Dipper could protest, Toby listened off his very sound and logical reasoning. "This town is hiding something and if no one will tell me then it's my job to figure it out!"

"Oh, God." That didn't sound like a good tone of voice. Dipper was still smiling, though! That was good! "Mabel was right. You  _are_ more like my clone."

Clone? Clone… Ah, clone! Mm. Toby supposed he did act a lot like Dipper. He didn't see how that was a bad thing, though. "That's good if I'm more like you, though, right? You're the best."

Stan snorted, shaking his head, "Why couldn't you be this cute?"

"Only when I wanted something," Dipper grinned, bending down and looking Toby in the eye. Toby tried really, really,  _really_ hard to- "What do  _you_  want?"

"I can't just love you?" Stay calm, stay focused, don't lose your attention- "Please let me go out into the woods!"

"You held out longer than I would have," Dipper sighed, ruffling at Toby's curls. "Still a no, by the way."

" _Daddy_." Whining as much as he could, Toby went quiet at once when he was scooped up into Dipper's arms. Curse Dipper for knowing all the ways to get him to be compliant. "I still want to go into the woods."

"And I want to never have to play dress up with Mabel again. We don't always get what we want." Huffing as he was set on the counter, Toby looked to Stan with a pleading expression to help. He needed help- No, he needed Help.

"It wouldn't hurt to let the kid out for an hour or two." Ah, Stan was weak to him. This was very good information to keep in mind. "You and your sister used to run around those woods all the time."

"When we were twelve." Two years was nothing. "Two years is a lot when you're not even a  _teenager_ yet."  _Lies_. "Stop pouting at me."

"It's not a pout. It's a glare." Crossing his arms, Toby leaned back, thought popping into his head. If he couldn't find out information on his own, maybe he could get others to  _tell him_. "Hey, Daddy, why are the woods so dangerous here? You let me go into the woods around home!"

"All woods are dangerous and, in case you've forgotten for the sake of this argument, me or Mabel always went with you." Darn. He was right. "You're really set on going in those woods, aren't you?"

"It's my greatest wish in life," Toby nodded, utterly serious about the matter at hand. He just- If the supernatural was  _real_ \- really real and all these things like ghosts and demons existed, then maybe… "Please? I  _need_ to go in them." He  _needed_ to know.

"Toby." Dipper sighed, leaning against the counter beside him and looking like he was praying for strength. It was a bit amusing since Toby was pretty sure that Dipper didn't even believe in God. "Why do you need to go into the woods?"

"It's- I-" He couldn't tell Dipper  _that_ but  _that_ wasn't the only reason. There was more. There was so much more and Toby barely had the words- No. He did. Maybe. He might have the right words. "They're calling to me."

With Dipper utterly silent, Stan was the one to answer, expression uncharacteristically serious. "What do you mean, kid?"

"It's just… Ever since we got here it feels like there's  _something_ in those woods." He knew what was in the journal but he also  _felt it_. It was- He didn't know, but he  _wanted it_. "Something important- Very important. Secret? It's a very important secret but it's  _important_." Seeing Stan's expression that showed he didn't understand, Toby huffed and chewed on his lip. How to make him see… "The woods are calling to me."

"No." Dipper didn't shout. "You're not going to those woods." He didn't move. "Not on your own." He didn't shout or move or raise his voice, but Toby still felt as if something inside of him had been crushed. "Just…"

Nervously chancing a glance at his expression, Toby paused as he saw that Dipper looked… Upset? No, not upset- Angry. No, it wasn't quite anger. Toby knew anger and this wasn't anger- Devastated… Dipper looked  _devastated_. What could cause that expression? "Daddy?"

Dragging in a breath that rattled as much as Toby's when he was on the verge of an asthma attack, Dipper forced a fake smile onto his face, "How about a deal?" As soon as the words were out, Toby saw Dipper's nails dig into his palms to the point of drawing blood, Stan utterly silent and expression dark as he looked away. "If you promise not to go into the woods yet, then I'll explore them with you later this summer."

Hm. That didn't seem like a bad deal… Toby still got what he wanted, he just had to be patient. No doubt Dipper would try to keep him away from anything supernatural, but it was still his best chance without getting into any trouble. Giving a decisive nod, Toby stuck his hand, "Deal."

"Good." Dipper moved without shaking his hand, Toby frowning a little as he closely inspected it. It didn't  _look_ like he had touched anything sticky. "I'll be right back, Toby. I need to grab something real quick."

As soon as he left the kitchen, Toby looked to Stan and wrinkled his nose, "Daddy has a lot of tells, doesn't he?"

"Way too many," Stan sighed, finishing off his soda and moving to throw both cans away. "Why do I feel like that's a deal you aren't going to follow through on?"

"Well… Deals are only really binding when you at least shake on it, right? We didn't shake, so…" Toby trailed off, keeping the thought in his mind. He at least knew himself well enough to know that he wasn't the most behaved of children.

"This is gonna be a long summer." Toby couldn't  _wait_. It was going to be  _great_. This was going to be the Summer Of Discovering Magic And Maybe Being Not So Scared Of Everything.

Eying the distance to the ground, Toby turned around and carefully began climbing down, Stan catching him by his hood before he could completely fall off. Set down very carefully, Toby beamed and hugged Stan before darting off towards the gift shop. Dipper hadn't said anything about exploring  _town_ , after all. If he could just- "Definitely my kid."

Freezing with his hand on the door, Toby turned to see that Dipper was leaning against the gift shop counter with his arms crossed, Wendy behind the counter and looking to be enjoying Toby's downfall immensely. "I was getting fresh air?"

"If you're going to explore town, you at least need your 'adventure pack', right?" Dipper held up Toby's backpack from where it had been resting on the counter, Toby grinning as he happily accepted it. This was perfect as he had stashed one of the journals in there, too. Now he could go out into town and do  _research_. "There's also one more thing I wanted to give you."

"Really? What?" Noticing that Dipper's smile was strained and sad, Toby blinked as Dipper knelt down in front of him again.

"Hold out your arm?" Doing as asked, Toby tilted his head and watched as Dipper pulled out what looked to be strands of gold woven together. There was something more to it, though… Something much, much more. "This was given to me a long time ago. I want you to wear it."

"Whoa, Dip, you sure that's a good idea?" Wendy's eyes were wide, Toby frowning as he watched Dipper wind the cord around his wrist before tying it off. It had… It had  _weight_ to it. This was something very,  _very_ important. "What if-"

"It's fine, Wendy." Dipper shot her a smile before looking back to Toby. "It's very special, okay? It's supposed to protect you from anything that wants to hurt you."

"Really?" Inspecting the cord, Toby narrowed his eyes at it before running a fingertip against it. It felt happy. Nostalgic. Sad. Safe. Warm. It felt  _good_. "It reminds me of dreams- Happy dreams. Ones with TJ in them."

Feeling a hand against his head, Toby looked up to see that Dipper had that same look on his face as he had in the kitchen. The devastated one. "The person who gave it to me said it was woven out of good dreams, although I'm not sure how much I trust that one. He was always a bit of a liar."

"Maybe it was true anyways," Toby grinned, fingering at the cord and noting that it was very calming. Maybe this could help him focus when he was studying. Yes. This was good. He liked this. "I'll be safe. Promise."

"Good." Dipper ruffled his hair as he stood back up. "Remember to try and stick to the main roads, okay? If you get lost just find a public building and ask to have them dial the Mystery Shack."

"Got it," Toby nodded, adjusting the straps on his backpack before nodding a bit more fiercely. "Right. Time to find the truth!"

"You're right. He  _is_ your clone." Laughing at Wendy's dramatically whispered words, Toby opened the door and gave them both a grin.

"Nope, just a Pines. And Pines' may not be fearless, but we never give up!" With that, Toby left the Mystery Shack behind and proceeded to discover truth and knowledge about what was in the town!

Or at least, he was  _going_ to but then he saw the woods right in front of him and… The woods  _looked_ like any other, but there was something  _different_ about them. Glancing back to the Mystery Shack, Toby started on the path towards town, keeping an even pace until he was sure he was out of sight.

Looking around, he noticed the path was more of a worn dirt road than anything, ground uneven against his feet and rocks pressing into his shoes. Shuffling to the side, Toby stood in the grass on the very edges of the road instead, looking straight up towards the sky.

The blue of the sky only filtered in through small gaps caused by the movement of the leaves, the bright sun wreaking havoc with the shadows and making it look like Toby and the forest were completely underwater. It was… It was amazing, really. Even with the trees rooted to the ground, it felt like they were  _moving_ \- Ah, that was it.

If the forest felt like an ocean then that feeling of something calling to him was like a current. It would be easy, too. Toby was already  _technically_ in the woods. Just one step more past the path. One step more into the grass. One step more into the unknown…

Toby had a really bad habit of ignoring someone calling his name.

::

Studying the pages of the journal he had open, Toby squinted at the writing before looking up and then turning around quick enough that he almost fell. Regaining his balance, he huffed as he saw nothing. "No hide-behind, either, then." He was quickly running out of creatures to try and spot.

Page after page and Toby had kept his eyes peeled for anything that could resemble the supernatural creatures in the journal and yet all he saw was birds and a squirrel or two. The most exciting part of his day had been seeing a crow- Or was it a raven? It didn't really matter since no matter what it hadn't been supernatural.

Weren't these woods supposed to be crawling with weird things? That's what the journals made it seem like, at least. He didn't have proof yet, but he couldn't just be  _imagining_ all of this. The woods alone were nothing  _normal_. There was far more to it. It hadn't just been that moment when he first stepped in, but it was  _everything_.

Every step he took it felt like the ground rose up to meet him, almost. It- The rustling of the trees felt like so much  _more_. The very forest itself felt like  _life_. Like it was breathing and moving and pressing back against Toby as if it was just as curious about him. There was no way that even someone as creative as Toby could imagine all of this and have it not be a little bit real, right?

It just… Hundreds of pages, four journals, and there was  _nothing_  in these woods. It couldn't be that everything was hiding? It wasn't- It wasn't like magic wasn't real! Dipper was always telling him stories about his 'part-time job monster hunting'. Okay, so it had probably been a joke, but there was so much detail in those nightly stories! At least  _one_ of those had to be true!

Not to mention that cord that Dipper had tied around his wrist before he left the Mystery Shack. There was no way that wasn't magical. Toby knew he exaggerated sometimes - especially in his thoughts - but it really  _did_ look like strands of woven gold. There was no way this didn't have some kind of magic attached to it.

Maybe everything was hidden from him? Like he needed some kind of magical device to see it all? He hadn't read anything like that in the journals, but he hadn't read all the way through them, yet. It would explain why it felt like parts of the book were missing, too.

Sighing, Toby closed the journal and held it to his chest as he looked around. He should probably head back so he could go into town. At least there he knew there were actually people instead of nothing but this humming sort of silence.

It just didn't make sense. He should have seen  _something_ by now. A hide-behind, a gnome, a shrunken big cat, a dinosaur, a- A… A stone statue in the middle of the woods?

Rubbing at his eyes and keeping them closed, Toby counted to seven before he opened his eyes, blinked, and, no. The stone statue was still there. Why was there a stone statue in this clearing- It wasn't really a clearing, anymore, though.

It must have been  _years_ since someone had left this statue here with how overgrown the vines and grass around it were looking. It was as if the forest itself was trying to hide it- Bury it. Why, though? It was just a strange little triangle statue. Granted a statue with only one eye that felt like it was grinning even though there was no mouth.

The closer he got, the more he saw -  _felt_ \- that the statue really was grinning. It was as if it was one moment away from coming alive- Gold. If the stone came to life, it wouldn't be gray, it would be gold. Gold felt right- Like the color of Toby's jacket- No. Cord. It was the color of the cord. The hand was outstretched, too, like it was about to shake someone's hand in greeting. That was a nice thought, only…

Toby couldn't help but think back to his and Dipper's 'deal' that morning, how Toby had held his hand out and Dipper had looked away like he couldn't even stand the  _thought_ \- Toby's fingertips brushed against stone fingers before he realized what he was doing.

Scrambling back, Toby yelped as his foot caught on something and he fell backwards with a sharp jerk, breath knocked out of him as he landed on the ground with a pained whine. That had  _hurt_ \- The statue!

Pushing himself back up, Toby quickly looked to see that nothing about the stone had changed - not even a bit. Pushing himself back a bit more, Toby felt his hand hit crinkled paper instead of ground, the boy pausing and looking over to see that the journal had fallen open when Toby had fell over.

Carefully picking it up and making sure it wasn't damaged, Toby blinked at seeing a drawn figure of the statue that was in front of him. The page was  _covered_ in scribbles and drawn on with different pens - there were also splatters of what Toby was pretty sure wasn't ink.

Comparing the stone statue and the picture on the page one last time, Toby looked to the opposite page where a name was written out in large letters that caught his attention and kept it riveted. "Oh." The little sound escaped him before he could stop it, a chill running down Toby's spine as he took in a shaking breath that felt  _cold_. It was summer and he had been walking for a while, the air shouldn't feel  _cold_ , should it? "Bill Cipher."

" _Well, well, well… Someone wandered a bit too far off the path, didn't they?_ " This time, when Toby sucked in a breath, it was like  _ice_.

He had found what was calling his name.


End file.
